Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose rituximab in the treatment of hematologic abnormalities in patients with connective tissue disease.
Materials and methods: A total of 13 patients with connective tissue disease who did not respond to prednisolone and multiple immunosuppressive agents, or their disease recurred after treatment, were given 100 mg of rituximab only combined with prednisolone once a week for 4 weeks. Then, the therapeutic effects and adverse reactions were respectively observed in the 13 patients.
Results: Rituximab showed good and rapid efficacy in the treatment of refractory thrombocytopenia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia caused by systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, and mixed connective tissue disease. Only 1 patient had urinary tract infection. During 24-month follow-up, disease recurred in 7 patients who still responded to azathioprine/Tripterygium wilfordii.
Conclusion: Low-dose rituximab has good efficacy and safety in the treatment of hematologic abnormalities in patients with connective tissue disease.